Can I check for Google lock using the IMEI?

Not reliably. Unlike Apple’s lock, Google’s lock can’t be looked up from the IMEI by the public. The surest check is to see the phone reset and set up in front of you, as this guide describes.

Factory Reset Protection. It’s Google’s name for the lock that asks for the previous Google account after a phone has been reset without that account being removed first.

The seller says it just needs a code. Is that true?

No. Google’s lock is removed by signing in with the account, or by the owner removing the account. A seller who says otherwise either doesn’t understand the lock or is hoping you won’t find out.

Is it enough if the seller has reset the phone already?

Only if it then sets up without asking for an old account. A phone reset without removing the account first will be locked, so watch the setup through to the end.

Does a locked phone mean it was stolen?

Not always. Plenty of people simply forget to remove their account. But a seller who won’t remove it, or won’t let you test the phone, is a reason to walk away.

Guide

How to check a used Android phone for Google lock before you buy

The in-person test that shows whether a Samsung or other Android phone is still tied to the seller’s Google account, and the other checks worth doing.

6 minute read Facts checked 11 October 2026

Second-hand Android phones are often good value. The main thing that can catch you out is a phone still tied to the seller’s Google account. After a reset, it will refuse to set up until that account is entered, and you won’t have the password. The good news is that you can check for it in a few minutes, in person, before any money changes hands.

What Google’s lock is

When someone adds a Google account to an Android phone, the phone remembers it. If the phone is then reset without the account being removed first, it asks for that same account during setup. You’ll see a message such as “This device was reset. To continue, sign in with a Google Account that was previously synced on this device.” This is often called FRP, short for Factory Reset Protection.

It’s there to make stolen phones useless, which is a good thing. It just means that buying a phone that still has someone else’s account on it leaves you with a phone you can’t use.

The test to do in person

Meet somewhere with Wi-Fi if you can, and allow ten minutes. Ask the seller to do the first two steps in front of you.

The seller removes their accounts

In Settings, under Accounts (sometimes called Passwords and accounts, or Accounts and backup), the seller removes their Google account. On a Samsung, they remove their Samsung account too.
The seller resets the phone

In Settings, they choose the option to erase all data (factory reset). The phone restarts and shows the welcome screen.
You go through setup

Choose a language, connect to Wi-Fi and carry on. If you reach a screen asking you to add or sign in to a Google account, with the choice to skip, the phone is clear.
Watch for the warning

If the phone says it was reset and asks for an account that was previously synced, it’s still locked. Don’t buy it until the seller has removed the account.

If the seller won’t do the test

A genuine seller has nothing to lose by doing it. Excuses such as “it’s already been reset” or “there’s no time” are a reason to walk away, however good the price.

Samsung and Xiaomi have a second lock

Some makers add their own lock on top of Google’s.

Samsung phones can be locked to a Samsung account through Find My Mobile. The seller should remove their Samsung account as well as their Google account before the reset.
Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones can be locked to a Mi account. The seller should sign out of it and turn off Find device first. Our Mi account guide explains what this lock looks like.

The in-person test catches these too: if setup asks for any previous account, the phone isn’t ready to sell.

The other checks worth doing

Put your own SIM in. If it shows “SIM not supported” or no signal, the phone may be locked to another network. Our guide on checking whether a phone is unlocked covers this.
Check it hasn’t been reported lost or stolen. A phone on the blacklist may stop working on networks, and that can happen after you’ve bought it. This can be checked from the IMEI.
Find the IMEI by dialling *#06#, and check it matches the one on the box or receipt.
Ask for the receipt or proof of where the phone came from, especially for a newer, expensive model.

Our guide on what an IMEI check can tell you explains which of these a free check covers and which need a paid one.

Buying online or by post

If you can’t see the phone first, the in-person test isn’t possible, so lean on protection instead.

Buy from a seller or platform with a returns policy, and pay with a method that offers buyer protection, such as a credit card.
Ask the seller to confirm in writing that all accounts have been removed and the phone has been reset.
When it arrives, do the setup straight away. If it asks for a previous account, contact the seller and the platform at once.

Already bought one that’s locked?

Contact the seller first. They can often remove the phone from their Google account remotely, or sign in on the phone for you and then remove the account. Our guide to an Android asking for the previous Google account walks through what to try, in order. If you want to know exactly where the phone stands, you can start with a diagnosis.